Tainted Love
by RainingRoses19
Summary: Alyssa Miller has been alone for months. But, a run in with two men in the woods leads her to the prison. While in the prison, she meets new people. One being the snarky and sarcastic, Carl Grimes. Carl and Alyssa don't get along. But could more come out of this hatred? Will Alyssa and Carl be able to leave behind their past? Will they learn to trust and possibly learn to love?
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

A/N: This story is set three years after the end of Season 3. Hope y'all enjoy!

The fallen leaves crunched under the deer's hooves. It grazed on the wilted grass. It was autumn. The leaves had fallen off the trees and the grass had died. Pain hammered in my stomach as a watched the deer. I haven't eaten in God knows how long. I took a deep breath and steadied my bow. I lined the shot up so that it would fly into the deer's neck.

"This is it, Alyssa. Don't miss." I whispered to myself. The leaves started to crunch even though the deer wasn't moving. Oh God, no! I swung my bow in the direction I heard the footsteps. Sure enough, a silhouette was advancing slowly on the deer. I crouched and silently cursed myself. I couldn't fight a walker. I was too weak and hungry. It was better to wait. I would find something else. Something that wouldn't put me in mortal danger to retrieve. I heard the slight hiss of an arrow flying through the air. The deer made an awful sound and went down onto the ground. I looked over the brush to see a tall, ratty looking man step out holding a crossbow. He looked to be in his late thirties or early forties. He had long brown hair and a scowl that would scare anyone.

"Why don't you come help me with this thing?" He yelled at the silhouette I had seen earlier. They weren't walkers! They were alive. My stomach churned. I would let them have the deer. I wouldn't fight for it. Getting involved with strangers was not a good idea. I began to slowly back away. I was almost behind a nearby tree when I stepped on a twig.

"Daryl, walker." The other person said and I felt an arrow slice through my arm. Pain shot up my arm and I crumpled to the ground. I gripped the wound and began to tear at my shirt. I had to stop the bleeding.

"Shit." The old man, who I assumed was Daryl, says. He kneeled next to me. I pushed myself away from him quickly. Pain shot up my arm but I continued to scoot away. People, I had discovered, were much worse than walkers. I got a piece of my shirt off and began to wrap it around the wound while still trying to get away from the man. It wasn't easy.

"Let me help you." He said coming near me again.

"Don't touch me!" I screamed and then immediately regretted it. We were in the wilderness. There could be dozens of walkers circling us in a matter of minutes.

"Shut the fuck up!" The other person hissed at me. He was young. He looked to be around my age with long shaggy hair and crystal blue eyes. He ripped the piece of cloth out of my hand and began to bind my arm. I didn't yell but I fought. I kicked him away and he just rolled his eyes.

"We're trying to help you." The older man said before pinning my legs down so I wouldn't kick the younger one again. I bit my lip to keep from screaming. Don't touch me. Don't touch me! I don't know who I did it but I ended up elbowing the younger man in the face and breaking from the older ones grasp. I staggered to my feet and ran. My vision was blurry and I felt nauseous but I kept running. I ran and ran until I saw large chain link fences surrounding a huge prison. A woman was standing at the gate holding a gun.

"Help me!" I yelled as I heard the men pursuing me. My head swam and my stomach churned and I fell onto the grass. I would hear yelling but I couldn't make out the words. My vision was to blurry and my head pounded. I fought and fought but it was no use. I blacked out listening to the distinct voice of a woman.

"You think she's alive?" I heard a woman ask someone. I gingerly opened my eyes and bright lights flooded my vision. I was seeing spots but my vision adjusted quickly. It took me a second to register where I was. I was lying on the bottom bunk of a bunk bed in a cell. I breathed a sigh of relief. The woman got to me before the men. I sat up and my head swam. I looked around after the dizziness wore off. I was locked in the cell! I shot of the bed. Bad idea. Dizziness took over and I fell to the concrete floor.

"It's okay. You're safe." The woman said to me. She kneeled by the gate and I finally looked at her. She had short grey hair. She looked to be in her forties.

"You're not in any danger. You can come out right after we ask you some questions." I looked around and there were about five people standing behind the woman. Four men and another woman looked down on me like I was an animal. Then I saw them. The men from the woods.

"What's your name?" The woman asked me. I struggled to sit up but somehow I managed. I backed myself against the wall farthest from the group of people.

"Who are you?" I asked. I meant it to sound menacing but it just came out as a squeaky rasp.

"We'll explain after you answer our questions. What's your name?" A man kneeled next to the woman. He had short brown hair, a pretty long beard, and the same blue eyes of the boy in the woods.

"Alyssa." I answered quietly.

"Nice to meet you, Alyssa. I'm Rick. Where did you come from?"

"Texas."

"What were you doing in the woods?"

"I was hunting."

"When's the last time you ate?" This question came from the short haired woman. I shrugged my shoulders and she frowned slightly.

"Is there anyone else with you?" Rick asked me and I shook my head. The last person I'd seen I ran from. I looked around and noticed that my bow and the dagger I carried with me were gone.

"Where's my stuff?" I snapped. Of course it came out as a rasp.

"We removed from you just in case. You can have it back whenever we decide you aren't a threat." Rick answered as he moved away from the gate and went to talk quietly with Daryl. He turned and nodded quickly to the woman. She nodded back and then stood. She unlocked the gate and without a second thought, I ran. I was only a few feet away before someone seized my arms. I screamed as pain shot through my injured arm.

"Let me go!" I screamed and kicked at the person holding me. He gripped me harder and forced me to be still. Rick came to stand in front of me.

"Alyssa, we're not going to hurt you as long as you don't hurt any of us. Do you understand?" He spoke quietly but the tone in his voice was one of a leader. I nodded and the person behind me let go of my arms. They fell slack to my sides. The short haired woman grabbed my hand and led me slowly over to a metal table. I sat down and she smoothed down my hair which probably looked like a rats nest.

"I bring you some food and water." She said gently before leaving through a door off to the right side of the room. Rick came to sit in front of me.

"How long have you been alone?" I shrugged and hung my head. My hair fell forward into my eyes. I glanced around quickly and saw the other woman standing off to the side. She was a tall black woman who reminded me of the Amazons. Even though she was scowling at me, her presence comforted me.

"Where are your parents?" Dead. Like everyone else.

"Either they're dead somewhere or they're undead flesh addicts. I'm not really sure which." Rick nodded slowly.

"Well, I'm sorry to hear that." The side door opened and the short haired woman brought me a bowl. It was full of canned beans. She passed me and spoon and I began to shovel the food into my mouth.

"Well while you're eating I'll introduce everyone. This is Carol," He gestured to the short haired woman.

"This is Daryl," the older man I had already met.

"This is Glenn," he pointed to a young Asian man.

"This is Michonne," the tall amazon woman.

"And this is my son, Carl." The boy from the woods. I nodded and finished shoveling the beans into my mouth. They were the best tasting thing I'd ever eaten. I grabbed the glass of water Carol sat out for me and chugged it. When I finished, Carol moved everything away.

"Well, Alyssa, you're welcome to stay with us if you would like. Though there are rules you must follow." Rick said while he folded his hands on the table.

"What type of rules?"

"You will have to help out with chores and pull your own weight. And we don't allow any weapons to be used inside the prison walls unless absolutely necessary." I glanced around. This place doesn't seem too bad. But, I had thought that before and I had regretted it.

"What happens if I don't want to stay?"

"You're weapons will be given back to you outside the gates and you'll be on your way." This sounded too good to be true. But, they had food, shelter, and people. I could try to stay. I should try to stay. If things don't work out then I can always leave.

"Thank you. I would like to stay." Rick smiled slightly and reached out to shake my hand. I shook his hand gently all the while praying, "Please don't let this be like last time."


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

For the first time in a long time, I woke to silence. No birds chirped. No animals scurried through the grass. I climbed out of the bed I had slept in last night. The prison was oddly quiet. I couldn't hear any voices. As if I was the only one here. I shuffled across the concrete floor. My bare feet made no noise as I walked towards a set of doors at the end of the room. Muffled voices drifted out of the cracks in the door. I slid the door open carefully and walked into the wide room.

Ten people sat in, what seemed to be, the prisons cafeteria. Long metal tables and small metal chairs were strewn about. The people sat together at one table. I recognized a few of the. Glenn was sitting next to a brunette who, I assumed, was his girlfriend. Carol and Daryl were sitting next to each other and whispering quietly. Michonne was sitting of to the far right side, by herself, polishing a long silver sword. A small blonde woman I hadn't met sat next to a little girl. Next to the girl sat an old man who I didn't recognize. Rick and his son, Carl, were nowhere to be seen. I was about to retreat from the room when Carol looked up towards me.

"Good morning, Alyssa. Come sit down. Breakfast will be in soon." She patted the metal chair next to her and smiled sweetly. I shuffled over to the chair and pulled it a couple feet away from Carol. Right when I sat down a small door off to the side of the room opened up. Rick came through carrying two baskets full of something. Carol, the blonde, and the brunette all hopped up to take the baskets. They walked over to another door and disappeared inside. Rick shed his gloves and sat down at the head of the table.

"How'd ya sleep?" Rick directed the question towards me.

"Good I guess." I mumbled and Daryl chuckled next to me. I resisted the urge to spit some choice words at him.

"By the way, this is Herschel. He's kind of our doctor." Rick gestured towards the old man who smiled and waved at me. I waved back quickly.

"The blonde girl is Beth. The brunette is Maggie. They're my daughters." Herschel informed me. I nodded and sat back in my chair. This people were way too talkative for the morning.

"So, how old are you?" Herschel asked me.

"I'm sixteen." I answered while picking at my fingernails.

"Same age as our resident badass." Glenn said smirking. I glanced at Daryl. He seemed to be the most badass of the group.

"I don't think Daryl's sixteen." I mumbled. Glenn and Daryl laughed heartily.

"He most definitely isn't sixteen. But I wasn't talking about him. I was talking about Carl. You've met him right. Skinny, brown hair, blue eyes, has a permanent scowl." The boy in the woods. The one I elbowed in the face.

"Yeah, we've met. He doesn't seem like a badass to me though. He just seems like a kid." Glenn laughed again and I heard Carol, Beth, and Maggie come back into the room. They passed bowls of chopped fruit and vegetables to everyone.

"Speaking of Carl, where is he?" Rick asked, glancing around for his son. As if on cue, Carl came sauntering into the room holding another basket.

"Eggs are finally here. 'Bout damn time too. I'm getting sick of fruit." Carl shook his hair and pulled up a chair beside his dad.

"Language." Carol chided and sat a bowl in front of Carl. She ruffled his hair and Carl grimaced. Was Carol Carl's mom?

"Like you're so much better." Carl snapped while shoveling food into his mouth. Rick rolled his eyes and began to eat. I looked down at my bowl. It was full with sliced apples, oranges, and pears. I picked up a piece of apple and chewed on it slowly. It was so sweet. When was the last time I had fruit?

"Whenever you're finished with breakfast Carol can show you around." Rick said to me while getting up to collect bowls. Everyone else had finished breakfast already. They eat so fast! I nodded and ate the rest of my food quickly. When I finished Carol showed me the kitchen, where I cleaned my bowl.

We walked around the whole prison. They had at least three cell blocks, two bathrooms, a showering room, an exercise room, and a library inside. I made certain to remember the exact location of the bathrooms, showers, and the library. I would probably spend all my time reading in the library. Outside was nothing but a huge field. Off to one side three cars and a motorcycle sat. In the middle was a huge garden. A little bit away from the garden was an animal pen. A horse grazed in its own pen while pigs squealed and rolled around in theirs. That's when I saw them. Walkers were wandering aimlessly around the fences. Large pieces of sharpened wood surrounded the main entrance. Several dozen Walkers were stuck on them, slowly dying of starvation. I shivered. No matter how many I've seen and killed, I never got used to them. The fact that people had turned into these things. The fact that one day, I could become one of them.

"Alyssa!" Carol yelled at me. I had, involuntarily, moved towards the fences. I could smell the rot from a hundred feet away. I remembered the first time I saw one. My mother was the first in the family to turn. She was bitten at work.

My dad worked nights, so I was the only one to hear my mother's agonizing screams that night. I remember seeing her pain as I went to be with her. Then she attacked me. She rushed at me. Teeth snapping and snarling. I was lucky. I was small and I managed to dodge her and run out of the house. She followed after me snarling. I ran and ran until I got to our neighbors house. I screamed and begged for them to let me in. But they ignored my cries. My mother advanced on me and I ran from the neighborhood. I ran and ran until I broke down on the side of the road, sobbing. I was twelve. I laid in the road until a nice and gentle man saved me. I was too young and too traumatized to question the man. I just followed him away from my mother and into another version of Hell.

I could vaguely hear Carol saying my name. I was mesmerized by the Walkers. My memory sent a flash of anger through me and I grabbed a crowbar that was hanging off the fence. I began to shove it through slots in the fence. I stabbed through head and eyes. Blood, brains, and rot splashed over me. I stabbed the crowbar through but I missed the Walker but a couple centimeters. The Walker grabbed my wrist and clawed at it trying to bring it to its mouth. I screamed and jerked my hand away. Flesh ripped off my arm and the Walker greedily bit into its rotten fingernails.

"What the Hell are you doing?" I gripped my wrist and tried to staunch the blood flow. Someone grabbed my injured arm and I yelped. They drug me to my feet and hastily moved me inside.

"Are you fucking crazy?" Carl grabbed my wrist and pain shot through my arm. He forced me into the kitchen and practically yanked my off getting the wound under water. I kept my hand under the water as Carl rummaged around the cabinets. He brought a bottle of some brown liquid and yanked my wrist out from under the water. He poured the brown liquid onto the wound and I shrieked. Fire licked against my wrist as Carl poured more liquid on it.

"Was she bit?" Rick asked rushing into the room. Carol had apparently gotten him. Carl shook his head and pressed his thumb into the scratch. I ground my teeth and ripped my wrist away.

"That fucking hurts!" I yelled. I ran my wrist under the water again.

"You'd be in a whole world of pain if you got bit."

"Well, I didn't. Besides, you shouldn't let them build up like that."

"That's why we have a schedule. And we don't go solo Walker slayer." I rolled my eyes at Carl's comment and then he gripped my wrist again. I tried to yank away but he was too strong.

"Will you hold still? There's a piece of nail stuck in the wound. Someone go get Herschel." Daryl, who had arrived without me noticing, nodded and rushed off. Carl twisted me wrist around roughly and examined the wound. I hissed as his thumb ran over it.

"Carl, you're hurting her. Wait until Herschel gets here." Carl sighed and backed off without another word.

"So that's how to get you to listen. Just get momma involved." Carl arched his eyebrows at me and then started to laugh. His laugh was deep, loud, and oddly soothing.

"Carol's not my mother!" He managed to gasp out in between fits of laughter. I felt my cheeks get hot. That was embarrassing.

"Where is your mother?" Shit! What if she was dead? As if on cue, Carl's laughter died down. His eyes narrowed and I heard Rick clear his throat. I turned towards him and he looked extremely uncomfortable. So, she is dead. I wonder what happened. My though process was cut short when Herschel walked in. He gestured for me to sit and I noticed he was limping.

"What happened to your leg?" I asked and Herschel smiled sadly.

"Run in with a Walker. Had to be amputated." He explained while he spread out things on the counter next to me. He had a pair of tweezers, more brown liquid, and a piece of cloth. I gritted my teeth as Herschel began to dig the fingernail out of the wound. He pulled it out without a fault and then poured more liquid on the wound. The alcohol burned like crazy. Instead of rinsing the wound out like I expected, Herschel wrapped the cloth around the wound. He tied the ends together and clapped his hands.

"All done. Two injuries in a couple days. You must be disaster prone." Herschel laughed.

"Or just stupid. How are you still alive?" Carl asked while chuckling. I glared at him which made him chuckle more.

"By getting rid of assholes like you!" I snapped. Carl grimaced and sauntered over to me.

"I'd rather be an asshole than a pathetic little girl." He snarled at me before leaving the room. I glanced around and everyone was watching Carl leave. The look on their faces told me that Carl was an asshole to everyone.

"He's not usually this bad." Rick muttered, mostly to himself. Everyone separated and wandered off to different places. I checked my bandage and then went walking to my cell. I was feeling pretty exhausted even though it was in the middle of the day. I was walking by a hallway when I heard soft sobs emanating from one of the rooms. I peeked my head in and Carl was propped against the wall with tears streaming down his face.

"I'm sorry, Mom." He muttered underneath his sobs. I backed away from the doorway and sighed. Maybe I'm wrong about him. He's probably been through crap too. He may be just as screwed up as me. I decided then and there that I would try to get to know these people before judging them. Especially Carl.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

"Get up." Clothes were thrown over me as I shot up in bed. Carl was standing in my cell. He looked as is hadn't slept at all.

"What?" I asked while rubbing sleep out of my eyes.

"Get up. You want to live here you're going to have to work. Be in the cafeteria in five minutes." He snapped and walked out of my room. I rolled my eyes and looked at the clothing her had given me. Brown cargo pants and a black tank top. Classy. I sighed and peeled the nightgown Carol let me borrow off. I pulled the pants and tank top on. The pants were baggy and the tank top was tight on my breasts. At least I have clothes. I ran my fingers through my tangle black hair and pulled it up with my only hair tie.

I made it to the cafeteria in record time. Carl, the only one in the room, was eating fried eggs. A plate with more eggs was placed on the other end of the table.

"Eat." He commanded me and I resisted the urge to tell him to fuck off. Give him a chance, Alyssa. I sat down and dug into my eggs. They were bland but edible. I scarfed me food down and Carl grabbed my plate before I could even move. He disappeared into the kitchen and I leaned back in my chair. I yawned and closed my eyes.

Someone snapped their fingers in front of me and I peeked out. Carl was standing in front of me scowling.

"Let's go." He grumbled and I followed him outside. It was barely even dawn! Carl led me down a hill and towards a little shack.

"Grab a bucket and follow me." He said while we walked into the shack. It was stocked full with gardening supplies. Rakes, hoes, gloves, buckets, watering pails, and the likes. Carl grabbed a sack of something in the corner of the room. I grabbed a bucket and followed him over to a large pen. A rooster was perched on the side of the fence.

"Morning Benny." Carl muttered and opened the gate. About five hens were waddling around clucking.

"Breakfast time girls." Carl called before grabbing handfuls of corn and tossing it out to the hens. The hens clucked happily and Benny, the rooster, jumped off his perch to eat. Carl tied the bag closed and, after closing and locking the other gate, led me to a rather small hay bail.

"Bucket." He said to me and I passed it to him. He filled it up with hay and handed it back. He turned away from the hay and we went walking off to another pen. I huffed. He wasn't much of a talker. I followed him through another gate and a horse was lying in there.

"Y'all have a lot of animals." Carl muttered something under his breath and went to pet the horse.

"Put the bucket down over there by her water dish." I obeyed as Carl whispered to the horse.

"See you later Joy." Carl kissed the horses head. I smiled. He actually did have a good side. Even if it's only with animals.

"What did I tell you about naming the animals?" I jumped about a mile as Rick sauntered up to the pen.

"I doubt we're going to kill Joy for food." Carl snapped and rose to his feet.

"You know we may have to." Rick snapped back. Carl practically growled at his dad and walked off. I followed him swiftly. Carl and Rick really don't get along. I wonder why.

"Do you know how to pull weeds?" Carl asked me as he led me into the garden.

"No." Carl sighed.

"You really are useless." He snarled.

"I'm not useless. I survived this whole time. I have a lot of skills."

"So far all you've done is get injured and bleed on my shirt. I can't believe Carol talked us into taking you in. We don't deal with strays." Carl kneeled down and began to rip weeds out of the garden. I snarled and walked off. Let him deal with his own damn weeds. I walked over to where the women were sitting. They were peeling potatoes and gossiping.

"Hey." I sat down on the grass next to Carol and started to play with the grass.

"I thought you were helping Carl." Maggie asked. I looked over at her but she was busy staring into space.

"He's a jackass. What are you looking at?" I glanced in that direction and rolled my eyes. Daryl and Glenn had joined Rick in chopping wood for the furnace inside. Even though it autumn it was still in the seventies outside. The men had all stripped their shirts off. They were all skinny but fairly toned. No wonder the women were distracted.

"He's really not that bad. He's just been through a lot of shit." I knew that much. Every one that was left in this world has been through a lot of shit.

"That doesn't give him an excuse."

"You don't know anything about him!" Beth snapped and practically threw a potato into the bucket.

"He doesn't know anything about me and yet he still acts like an ass. What does it matter to you anyways? You his girlfriend or something?"

"He wishes." Maggie murmured and Beth groaned.

"No I'm not. He's like my little brother. But I still care about him and you've only been here a couple days. You should stop being so judgmental."

"He would benefit from that advice." I snapped and went back to picking grass. I had zoned out when a little girl wondered up to me.

"Hi!" She yelled and plopped down in front of me.

"Hello." I said. Rick's daughter, whatever her name was.

"Who are you?" She asked while rocking back and forth.

"I'm Alyssa. I'm new here. Who are you?"

"I'm Judith." She smiled and plucked as small flower out of the grass. She twirled it between her fingers and stared at me.

"What're doing out here little bug?" Carl strolled up and put the bucket of weeds down. He grabbed Judith and spun her around. She shrieked and giggled.

"Talking to Alyssa. She looks sad." Carl glanced at me and cracked a small smile. Finally, an emotion that wasn't anger or sadness. I guess I would be happy too if I had a sibling.

"I like Alyssa. She's pretty." I blushed. The first compliment I get in three years and it's from a toddler.

"Thank you, Judith. You're very pretty too." Judith smiled. Carl sat down and she climbed into his lap.

"Carl?"

"Yes, little bug."

"You think Alyssa pretty too." My blush got deeper and I heard Carl clear his throat. Carol snickered next to me. Carl sat there and looked uncomfortable.

"Well this is awkward." I murmured and Carl chuckled.

"No one's as pretty as you, Judith." Judith smiled and jumped off of Carl's lap to chase a butterfly. I glanced at Carl only to see him staring at me.

"You ditched me." He said and gestured towards the bucket of weeds.

"I'm not good with the gardening stuff. I'm better at killing things."

"You've already injured both your arms. I think it's best for you to stick to gardening." I rolled my eyes and Carl laughed. It was the first time I had heard Carl laugh. It was deep and oddly nice. I found myself laughing along with him.

"Alright you two. Let's go have some lunch." Carol said and I glanced over at her. She was smiling and winked at me. I rolled my eyes and peeled myself off the ground.

"What's for lunch?" Carl asked while hauling a bucket off the ground for Carol.

"Potatoes and bacon. I hated killing that poor piglet, but I sure do love me some bacon." Carol said as we walked into the cafeteria. Maggie and Carol went to cook lunch. Carl, Beth, and I sat down in the metal chairs.

"So Alyssa, how long were you out there?" Beth asked me.

"Only a couple of weeks I think. I'm not really sure."

"Where were you staying before then?"

"I don't know the exact location but it's probably about a state and then some away."

"Why'd you leave?" Carl piped in while sharping a pocket knife. Does he always have a weapon on him?

"I have my reasons." I murmured. Reasons none of you should concern yourselves with.

"Have you ever killed anyone?" Carl asked.

"No, I haven't killed anyone that wasn't already dead. Have you?"

"Yes." Carl said without looking away from his knife. The way he said it was no matter of fact. There was no remorse or sadness in his eyes.

"Who?" I glanced at Beth and she grimaced. She shook her head.

"Depends on which name you want. First, second, or third?" I felt my jaw drop. This boy had killed three people. Three live people. Beth obviously knew this because she showed no reaction. I, however, looked like how I felt. Utterly shocked. Maybe this is why they call him a badass.

"Don't look so shocked. I'm not the only one. Daryl and my dad have both killed people. Not as many as me but that's common knowledge." Daryl and Rick I could see. But Carl? He was just a kid. Probably only a few months older than me. Though, the way he acted, he seemed much more mature than I am.

"Why'd you kill them?"

"Various reasons. I won't bore you with the details."

"I like details." I was intrigued. What possessed him to kill them? I had to know.

"Drop it, Alyssa." Beth snapped at me. I was taken aback. Beth seemed really sweet. Why was she so protective of Carl? Maybe they were dating.

"You're girlfriends really protective of you." I whispered to Carl only to get two death glares from both of them. OK, so they aren't dating.

"Carl's just a friend. We're all very protective of everyone here. It doesn't mean we're dating." Carl sighed and set his knife down. He stood up and walked into the kitchen area. Beth watched him walk the whole way there before walking out of the cafeteria. Seems like I hit a nerve.

The rest of the day was pretty uneventful. I helped Carol with all her choirs. I played with Judith for a bit. I ate more pork for dinner. I hadn't seen Beth or Carl since the cafeteria. I had deducted that either they had dated and broke up or it was a classic case of unrequited love. Either seemed highly possible to me.

I was reading Moby Dick by Herman Melville. It seemed like a good book to read at the time. Nothing helps with the apocalypse quit like a giant whale. I giggled at my own mental sarcasm and scratched at the bandage on my arm. I should take another shower. Clean the wound and my hair. My hair looked like a dozen rats were nesting in it.

I gathered the nightgown Carol had let me borrow and a clean pair of underwear. I wandered for a bit before I found the showers. I was about to walk in when I saw Carl's bare back. He was already in the shower. I was going to turn around and wait but he spotted me out of the corner of his eye.

"Wouldn't have pegged you for a peeping tom." He chuckled before turning around and leaning against the wall that blocked his lower half. I couldn't help but gawk. He was gorgeous. He was insanely toned for someone in this world. My eyes trailed from his chest to his abs to the deep V that formed at his hips. Stop it! I glanced up at his face and he was smirking.

"Like what you see?" My face probably looked like a tomato I was blushing so much.

"Not really." That was all I was able to murmur before fleeing like a dog with its tail between its legs. God, that was so awkward. I threw my nightgown on the bed and fell face first into my pillow.

"Ugh!" I groaned and buried my face into my pillow. I'm so stupid. Why did was I so compelled to look at him? Why did he have to be so damn pretty? I rolled over and started at the top bunk of my bunk bed. I sighed and closed my eyes. I just need to get some sleep and I'll forget all about this in the morning. Yeah right! I would never forget this. Especially not the way Carl looked at me. I shivered and goose bumps formed on my arms.

Shit! I am not doing this. I refuse to get hot and bothered because of that jackass. I refuse to feel anything towards him. I can't feel anything towards him. Nothing good will come out of this. We'd both either end up hurt or dead. It's best if I just ignore it. Ignoring it is the best course of action. Just ignore it. Just ignore it. If only I knew how badly I'd fail at this particular course of action.


End file.
